Dekko Enriquez is a walking sunshine. Negativity has no room in her world and she believes in the goodness of people. Suddenly, her world did a 360-degree rotation...turning into dark, gruesome and bloody.
How will bubbly Dekko handle being a suspe...
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THE SOUND OF CLASHING steels woke me to my senses. It's as if my ears are being tortured with the loud and unpleasant noise coming from the outside.
I yawned and checked my phone on the side table. It's a Monday and I still have two hours left before my classes start.
Matapos kong itupi ang aking kumot ay agad akong dumiretso sa banyo. Naghilamos ako ng mukha at saka nagsipilyo. Balak kong mag-almusal muna bago maligo kaya lumabas din ako.
Dumagundong ulit sa aking tainga ang nakakairitang tunog pagkalabas ko. Iniisip ko kung may notice ba ang management tungkol dito pero wala akong maalala.
Maybe I should ask my neighbor? Mich told me before that I should be mindful of my surroundings, especially that I'm living alone. He told me that I can avoid being involved to crimes if I'd be suspicious of things.
Suot ang terno kong pajama na kulay asul ay lumabas ako ng aking unit. Pinindot ko ang doorbell sa katabi kong unit na 720. After a few seconds, the door opened revealing my friend slash neighbor, Fia.
The first thing I noticed on her was the huge bags under her eyes. Her hair is tied into a bun and she's wearing regular clothes-brown cotton shorts and white top. Her lips formed into a smile upon seeing me. "It's you! Morning, Dekko!"
Fia is also a college student like me, but she goes to a different university. Unlike me who's been living in Avida Towers for more than a year now, she just moved here two months ago.
Mabilis kaming nagkasundo dahil mahilig siyang magluto at palagi niya akong binibigyan ng ulam. Ako naman ay mas hilig ang pagbe-bake kaya parati kaming nagpapalitan ng pagkain.
"Good morning, Fia!" I greeted. "I just wanna ask if you know what's happening. May naririnig kasi akong mga bakal na sobrang ingay sa unit ko. Naririnig mo rin ba?"
"Cute mo talaga, Dekko," Fia said as she pinched my cheeks. "It's actually my doing. Nagpapa-welding kasi ako ng railing sa balcony ko. I'm sorry if the sound disturbs you, I promise it will be done by today."
"Don't be sorry, it's fine. But can I ask what the railing is for?"
Biglang sumeryoso ang kaniyang ekspresyon. Lumapit sa'kin si Fia at dahan-dahang bumulong. "May nagtatangka kasing pumasok sa unit ko noong nakaraang linggo pa."
'Di agad ako nakagalaw sa aking kinatatayuan. The thought of a possible thief lurking around our tower frightened me. What if he goes to my place? What if no one hears my screams? What if he kills me?
"Dekko?"
Fia's hand playfully patted my shoulders then a laugh escaped from her lips. "Oh my god! I'm just joking, Dekko! You look like you'll pass out any minute."
"It's not true? There's no thief?" tahimik kong tanong.
"It's not. Ano ka ba, binibiro lang kita," tawa niya ulit. "Ikaw talaga, Dekko. Ang bilis mong maniwala! May ano lang...may malaking pusa kasi na umakyat sa balcony ko. Allergic kasi ako sa balahibo niyon kaya nagpalagay ako ng bakal para 'di na siya makapasok."
